Time: Saturday at 3:30 p.m.
TV: ESPNU.
TALLAHASSEE, Fla. -- They signed with Florida State at a point when the program was in a valley, struggling to hit .500 and make bowl games.
Florida State's seniors have seen the program emerge from the low points that were the tail end of the Bobby Bowden era (a 7-6 finish in 2009) to a national title run in 2013.
A group of 24 Florida State seniors will play its last home game on Saturday when the No. 2 Seminoles (10-0) face Idaho (1-9) at 3:30 p.m.
"That group is so special," Florida State coach Jimbo Fisher said. "There are so many influential guys in our program's history. There are some guys that I will never forget out of this senior class. This is a tremendous group."
There were five-star recruits, like linebacker Christian Jones and defensive back Lamarcus Joyner. Jones led Florida State in tackles as a junior in 2012, but has emerged as more of a pass-rushing defensive end this season. Joyner is second on the team in tackles with 51 and leads the unit with five sacks. Both passed up the NFL as juniors, hoping to not only earn their degrees but also win a national title.
There were highly regarded recruits like receiver Kenny Shaw, who has become more consistent with each season. Shaw has a career-high 721 receiving yards, putting a 1,000-yard season within reach.
And linebacker Telvin Smith, who never started until this season, now leads the team with 60 tackles and is projected as a second-round draft pick.
But there are also guys like Jacobbi McDaniel, a five-star defensive end from nearby Madison, Fla., who was playing well until he suffered a broken ankle in October 2011. McDaniel didn't play again until September, and he's made 25 tackles.
"I'm going to take it in," McDaniel said. "Some things people will be sad about. I'm kind of happy. Everything that I went through, and I was able to stay focused and complete my college career."
There are players like safety Terrence Brooks, who went way under the radar and was overlooked by a number of college coaches. Brooks and Florida State coaches made a connection when he came to one of the program's summer camps.
He hasn't disappointed. Brooks started 14 games in 2012 and made 52 tackles. He already has 41 in just nine games this season.
"When I came here and competed and made a few plays I was like, 'Hey, this is the place for me,'" Brooks said. "I just pulled the trigger and ever since then it's been good."
There are players like Bryan Stork. He was a scrawny, unimposing figure when he landed on campus in 2009. Stork thought he would be a tight end, his high school position, but was told to work with the offensive line.
He met line coach Rick Trickett, a Marine who is well-known for producing NFL linemen but also notorious for yelling four-letter words.
"When I first met him, I came here for one of those day camps," Stork said. "I thought I was going to be a tight end. And he says, 'I'm Rick Trickett.' And his eyes are bloodshot red. And I'm like, 'Is this guy drunk?' He doesn't smell like booze, but that's coach Trickett. He doesn't sleep much and he's an old guy. As I got to know him, sure enough I figured him out pretty quick, what he's all about."
Stork learned quickly. And he has developed into Florida State's most consistent lineman, starting 36 games at either center or guard. This week, he was named one of six semifinalists for the Outland Trophy, which is given to the nation's top interior lineman on offense or defense. Not bad for a scrawny tight end, circa 2009.
Florida State has gotten plenty out of this group of seniors, both the five-stars and the diamonds in the rough.
1. In a season filled with blowouts, Saturday's may take the grand prize. Florida State has beaten then-No. 25 Maryland by 63 points. Syracuse and Wake were routed by 56 points each. Top-10 teams like Clemson and Miami were dismantled by 37 and 27 points, respectively.
The most points Florida State has scored since 1992, the season they joined the ACC, was 77 in a thrashing of N.C. State in 1995. While Florida State will only have to use its first-teamers for a half, the Seminoles' second team is considerably better than Idaho. So putting up a big number (close to 77) is a possibility.
How bad is Idaho? The Vandals haven't been able to compete with the likes of Washington State (42-0), Fresno State (61-14) and Mississippi (59-14). Florida State is a 56-point favorite on Saturday.
2. At this point, we really don't know where the Jameis Winston investigation is headed, if he will be arrested or charged. So let's focus on football for now. Winston is just 62 yards shy of 3,000. There have been just eight Florida State quarterbacks to reach that mark in a season, and only Drew Weatherford (3,208 in 2005) did that as a rookie.
3. In the 1990s, Florida State was dominant at home. That included winning every home game in 1992, '93 and 1995-2000. Since then? It hasn't happened. While a win over Idaho doesn't mean that much, a 7-0 home record is something for the players to be proud of.
1. Florida State hasn't had a 1,000-yard receiver since Anquan Boldin in 2002. This year, Rashad Greene has 860 receiving yards and Shaw isn't far behind with 721. Florida State hasn't had two 1,000-yard receivers since E.G. Green and Andre Cooper in 1995.
2. Florida State's defense hasn't allowed a touchdown in the past 150 minutes and 22 seconds, since Miami had a second-quarter TD on Nov. 2. The Seminoles was able to keep Wake and Syracuse out of the end zone even with the second- and third-team defense in the game.
3. Jeremy Pruitt won national titles the past two seasons at Alabama as the Crimson Tide's defensive backs coach. He's 10-0 as Florida State's defensive coordinator. That makes Pruitt 35-2 the last three seasons.
"In high school, when I committed here, I said I'm 100 percent committed. I told (Jimbo Fisher) I'm not going anywhere. I'm going to stick to my word."
-- Sean Maguire, who is now Florida State's No. 2 quarterback. Maguire had made a verbal commitment to the Seminoles before Jameis Winston announced he was also choosing Florida State.
"I knew my opportunity was going to come and I took advantage of it. We hold ourselves to a certain standard, and I just had to make sure I keep it up."
-- Safety Lamarcus Brutus, who had six tackles in the second half against Syracuse. Florida State's backups are seeing plenty of playing time late in games the past few weeks.
"I like the way, not just the touchdown, but the way he managed the game. Called the plays, got in and out of the huddle on time, made the checks in the running game or whatever it may be -- the process of running the team I was very proud of."
-- Jimbo Fisher, on Maguire's first significant playing time against Syracuse
"I just think it's a great opportunity. A lot of guys can go their whole lifetime and never play a No. 1 or No. 2 team in the country. In this game they're going to play against a bunch of guys that are going to play in the NFL. So go challenge yourself."
--Idaho coach Paul Petrino
1. Florida State has been dominant in the first half this season. In the past five games in particular, the Seminoles have outscored opponents 170-21.
2. The Seminoles have 19 interceptions this season, tying Florida State with Oklahoma State for the FBS lead. The school record is 25 in 1968 and 1991.
3. Florida State hasn't trailed in more than 391 minutes, a streak that dates back to the second quarter of the Boston College game on Sept. 28. Look for that number to be extended on Saturday against Idaho.
4. The Seminoles' margin of victory is 42.6. Florida State is the only unbeaten team to win every game by 14 or more points.
5. Idaho is allowing 45.7 points per game this season. The Vandals are 122nd out of 123 FBS schools.
6. Florida State has turned the ball over just 11 times in 10 games.
7. Junior running back Devonta Freeman needs just 87 yards to become Florida State's 14th 2,000-yard rusher.
8. Florida State's defense has allowed just four rushing TDs in 2013 and 14 in the past 30 games.
9. Joyner has five sacks for Florida State. It's the most sacks by an FSU defensive back since Bill Ragans had five in 1990.
10. Under defensive coordinators Mark Stoops and Jeremy Pruitt (a span of 51 games) teams have been held under 100 rushing yards 28 times for a 55-percent mark.
Fisher wanted a soft, non-conference game the week before playing Florida, so the school is paying Idaho $950,000 for a guaranteed win.
Florida State will get the win and improve to 11-0, just a win shy of the program's first perfect regular season since 1999.
